There is evidence from genetic, longitudinal and psychological research to implicate hyperactivity in childhood as a risk factor for adult alcoholism. The proposed research aims to further elucidate the incidence of this disorder in a sample of high risk children (offspring of alcoholics) and to compare its occurrence in children of normal parentage. Attentional deficits and impulsivity, long thought to be cardinal features of hyperactivity will be investigated in the children and the effects of alcohol on these functions assessed. Because alcoholism is generally viewed to be a heterogeneous disorder evolving from multiple causality, an attempt will also be made to differentiate adult alcoholics on the basis of the hyperactivity factor and relate it to drinking variables and social competence. From this it is hoped that more refined means of classification based upon behavioral and historical information can be developed with the ultimate objective of identifying risk factors in childhood for implementation of primary prevention.